I am almost in tears. I have been waiting so long for my new custom gaming computer and finally last week it arrived. The guy who assembled it for me failed to tell me there is a counterfiet copy of Windows 7 Premium on my system. I turned it on and in the right hand corner of my screen it screams "this is not a genuine copy".I can still play my games and come to the net but I am at a lost as how to correct this problem. He is not answering my phone calls or email so I am on my own. I think my system is 32bit and there is a copy at Walmsrt for another $94 in addition to what I have already paid for the system but I am not sure if my system is 32 or 64. I also don't know if I uninstall everything on my computer before I install the new os. There is sooooo much i don't know and I would appreciate any and all help.

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carol It doesn't cost a dime to be kind----------------------------Currently playing Companions Of Xanth

lexxy, don't do anything until you get this guy to provide you with what you have paid for. If he is dishonest enough to cheat you out of a legal operating system, who knows what else he cheated you out of. If you paid for a good video card for gaming, did he put in a cheap one or did he even put one it at all? If you paid for 6 or 8 GB of RAM, did he only put in 2 GB? Who knows... I would go over every last bit of the components in this computer or have someone else do it for you. You might try posting a DXDIAG file here and maybe we can help you figure out what he put in this computer.

Before you do anything, try activating the operating system. Open Windows Activation by clicking the Start button, right-clicking Computer, clicking Properties, and then clicking Activate Windows now.‌

Should you get stuck, it doesn't matter what he put on - you can just get the 64-bit Windows 7 and install it.

Hello,Dont panic. This seems to be a fairly common problem and can be fixed. Type "this is not a genuine copy" into Google and you will see many different fixes the easiest seems to be downloading something called "WAT" and running it.Double check with Jenny to see if she thinks this is ok.

As Geo says, it isn't necessarily fake. I've had Windows 7 claim it was fake after installing MS Office 2007. It can also claim it's fake after a Windows update. The first thing to do is see if it will re-activate. You may have to reboot afterwards.

lexxy, before you go spending more money, did you try activating your Windows 7? Jenny and I both gave you instructions on how to do it.

Your DXDIAG indicates some older hardware in the ATI Raedon 4800 - what did you order? It also indicates that you did not get what you paid for if you ordered a 64-bit OS...

If all he put in this computer is 4 GB of RAM, then a 64-bit operating system will not gain you anything unless you plan on adding more RAM to the system. Again, what did you order? If you wanted the option to add more RAM later, then a 64-bit operating system will be needed.

I am ashamed to admit I do not remember just what I order other than to tell him that I wanted a top of the line as far as $1.100 would go. I remember reading about the 32bit vs the 64 bit and I did request that.I did as you instructed to activate and it did not work. I was instructed to go to various sites to see if my if my W7 was fake. I hate spending more money but it sares me and makes me a bit angry to see this little reminder that my os is fake. BTY what is the diff between 32 bit and 64 bit? I am prepared afther the holiday to purchase another system and more ram but I am not sure what ram to purchase. I think thid time I will take it to a guy I used to work with, whom I trust, and have him replace the ram and the new system. I see now wht happens when you use the friend of a friend who can ave you lots of money. Since this is the last system I plan to buy I am going to up grade it as far as I can, if ungrading is possible. I really hate to admit for the world just how gulliable I was but I WAS TAKEN>>>>AGAIN.

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carol It doesn't cost a dime to be kind----------------------------Currently playing Companions Of Xanth

I don't mean not cry and complain too much because I am so happy to be back to gaming again. I can play all of my games but I just hate to think that I trusted someone, again, that proved to be so untrustworthy. Oh well it's onward and upward and GAME ON!!!!

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carol It doesn't cost a dime to be kind----------------------------Currently playing Companions Of Xanth

64-bit Windows is capable of using more than 4GB of memory. 32-bit is only capable of using between 3.25 and 3.5 GB of system memory. 64-bit Windows is a different operating system from 32-bit, and would need different drivers. 64-bit is immune to some viruses and malware that can infect 32-bit. 32-bit works better with some older games -- anything that uses 16-bit code won't work on 64-bit Windows outside of a virtual machine. But games as old as that would probably work better inside a virtual machine anyway, so this isn't much of an advantage.

If you decide to stick with 32-bit Windows, there's no sense getting any more RAM.

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I am prepared afther the holiday to purchase another system and more ram but I am not sure what ram to purchase.

I would get at least 8GB of RAM and a 64-bit system on a new computer. The one you bought is certainly not the best you can get for $1100 these days. However 4GB will probably be OK for current games. The video card is a bit old, but should be OK for adventures. It might be sluggish with some of the new "Darkside" games though.

Although the processor is decent, unless this guy put in a monster motherboard, he pocketed a lot of your money for himself, lexxy. Are you sure you don't want to do something here - especially so he doesn't do the same thing to someone else? Small claims court might be an option...

lexxy, if this is a friend of a friend, get in touch with the first friend, and tell them what's been done. Perhaps this first friend can get in touch with their friend or tell you how you can.

I, personally, wouldn't let this rest. Especially since you don't have a valid copy of Win 7 on the system. And because you don't have a valid copy of Win 7 on your system, you may have a valid reason to get law enforcement involved. What this guy has done is to pirate Win 7 onto your new system, and that is a real big no no.

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If something gets your goat, it just proves you have a goat to get.

lexxy, I totally agree with Homer6. If you gave this guy $1,100, you've been cheated and stolen from.

I'm not trying to make you feel worse, but I just want to illustrate the quality of computer you SHOULD have gotten. This is from ecollegePC. It has a 3rd generation Intel processor - he put in a 1st generation; it has 8 GB of RAM, not 4; it has a very good video card, not an old Raedon 4800; it has a legitimate Windows 7; I don't know what motherboard he used, but this one is a very good board. I could go on, but this only came up to just a little over $1100. This guy used such old hardware that I can't even put something together that is comparable to what he did because most outlets don't even sell them any more. I'd also be VERY curious to see what kind of power supply he used.